Frank boardman



(No Model.)

1-". BOARDMAN.

MATCH SAFE. No.493,227. 'PaJtente dMaL'V, 1893.

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n & I 0 03? WITNESSES zzjllifl'l'lm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK BOARDMAN, OF BENNETT, PENNSYLVANIA.-

MATCH-SAFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,227, dated March 7, 1893.

Application filed June 23,1890. Serial No. 356,393- (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK BOARDMAN, of Bennett, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Match-Safes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved match-safe or reservoir adapted to contain a quantity of matches and to expose for use .a limited number of the same, the places of which when removed, are automatically supplied.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the match-safe. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line IIII of Fig. 1, showing a match package and matches in the safe; and Fig. 3 is across-section on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, the match-safe (which is made preferably of a single piece of sheet metal) is of general L-shape in vertical section, having a laterally projecting troughshaped portion b at the base, and an upright portion extending therefrom, the base and upright portion communicating one with the other through an opening e which is of equal width with the trough and upright portion, and of a height equal to that of the trough. The upright portion comprises a back 0, sides 0', and inwardly projecting flanges 0 To use the device, it is set or suspended in an upright position, and an ordinary cardboard sliding cover match package full of matches is set in the upright portion of the safe within the back 0 and sides 0', and the outer cover of the card-board package is elevated, so as to afford an opening at the base through which matches mayfallinto thetrough b. As the matches are removed for purposes of use, their places are supplied by other matches which descend by gravity from the cardboard package and through the opening 6 as shown in Fig. 2, so that the device constantly exposes matches in the trough, until all the matches contained in the card-board package have been used. When the matches have been used, the card-board package is removed and another package full of matchesis substituted. The device is thus very easy to charge with matches. The general outline of the cardboard package and the safe which holds it is preferably oblong in cross-section, so that the matches shall lie therein in parallel horizontal positions, and may therefore fall into the trough without scafiolding or obstructing each other in the descent.

In construction, form and material my improved match safe may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention as herein claimed. Thus, the device may be made of glass, wood, cast-metal, earthenware, or other substance, and its shape altered to suit the requirements of construction of the material employed.

I claim As an improved article of manufacture, a match-safe comprising a laterally projecting trough-shaped base and an upright portion communicating one with the other through an opening substantially co-extensive with the width and height of the trough and adapted to receive and support a sliding-cover matchbox, which when opened at that end then resting in the trough will feed its contents of matches by gravity into the trough through the opening, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I- have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of June, 1890.

FRANK BOARDMAN. Witnesses:

THOMAS W. BAKEWELL, W. B. OoRWIN. 

